Web cam captures fascination, disgust of watching cicadas (Video)

WASHINGTON – Most residents of the Washington area know to expect the cicadas they’ve been told will swarm this summer. While many are happy to skip the whole episode, there is a spot to see the incoming guests for those excited about their arrival.

The Science Channel has launched its “Cicada Cam,” which the Washington Post reports is a live web channel where visitors can watch cicadas in a terrarium adorned with Washington landmarks.

“On a recent day, a gang of them seemed to be trying to tear the top off a model of the Capitol. But mostly they can be seen crawling, flying and mating en masse. It’s both riveting and revolting,” the Post reports.

Part of the time, the bugs seem to be docile to the point where some commenters question if they’ve died. Other times, they’re active and scaling the Capitol replica like a scene out of a horror movie.

This brood of cicadas crawls out of the ground every 17 years across the region. The group of bugs in the terrarium were captured in southwest Washington.